Saint Victor the Hermit

Also known as

• Victor of Arcis
• Vittre, Vitre

Profile

Born to the nobility and raised in a pious, well-educated family. Priest. Hermit at Arcis-sur-Aube in the Champagne region of France. His life and wisdom caused many conversions. Saint Bernard of Clairvaux composed an Office and several hymns about him.

Born

6th century at Troyes, France

Died

Patronage

Arcis-sur-Aube, France

Readings

Now placed in heaven, he beholds God clearly, revealed to him, swallowed up in joy, but not forgetting us. It is not the land of oblivion in which Victor dwells. Heaven does not harden or straiten hearts but makes them more tender and compassionate; it does not distract minds, nor alienate them from us; it does not diminish, but it increases affection and charity; it augments bowels of pity. The angels, although they behold the face of their Father, visit, run, and continually assist us; and shall they now forget us who were once among us, and who once suffered themselves what they see us at present labor under? No: ‘I know the just expect me till you render to me my reward.’ Victor is not like that cup-bearer of Pharaoh, who could forget his fellow-captive. He has not so put on the stole of glory himself as to lay aside his pity, or the remembrance of our misery. - Saint Bernard of Clairvaux

Saint Paula of Saint Joseph of Calasanz

Also known as

• Paula Montal Fornes
• Paola...

Profile

Daughter of Ramon and Vicenta Fornes Montal. Raised in a large and pious family in a small seaside village. Her father died when Paula was 10 years old. She worked as a seamstress and lace-maker, and helped raise her siblings, then helped in her parish to care for other children.

At age thirty, still single and devoting herself privately to God, she and her friend Inez Busquets opened a school in Gerona to provide a good education mixed with spiritual guidance. The school was such a success that she was able to found a college in May 1842, and another school in 1846. To staff and manage the schools, she founded the Daughters of Mary (Pious School Sisters; Escolapias) on 2 February 1847, and took the name Paula of Saint Joseph of Calasanz. Paula served as the leader of the congregation, and they received approval from Pope Blessed Pius IX in 1860. These schools have now spread to four continents.

Born

11 October 1799 at Arenys de Mar, near Barcelona, Spain

Died

26 February 1889 at Olesa de Montserrat, Barcelona, Spain of natural causes

Canonized

Blessed Robert Drury

Also known as

Robert Drewrie

Additional Memorials

• 22 November as one of the Martyrs of England, Scotland, and Wales
• 29 October as one of the Martyrs of Douai

Profile

Studied at the English College, Rheims, France in 1588, and the English College, Valladolid, Spain in 1590. Ordained at Valladolid in 1593. Returned to England in 1593 to minister to covert Catholics around London, England. One of the signers of the loyal address of 31 January 1603 which acknowledged the queen as lawful sovereign on earth, but maintained their loyalty in religious matters to the Pope. When James I came to the throne, the king required them to sign a new oath which acknowledged his authority over spiritual matters. Robert refused, and was arrested in 1606 for the crime of being a priest. He was offered his freedom if he would sign the oath; he declined. Martyr.

Born

c.1567 at Buckinghamshire, England

Died

hanged, drawn, and quartered on 26 February 1607 at Tyburn, London England

Beatified

Saint Alexander of Alexandria

Also known as

Alessandro di Alessandria

Profile

Known as a pious youth. Bishop of Alexandria, Egypt in 313. Worked against Arianism, and excommunicated Arius when he preached in the area around Alexandria. Key figure in the Council of Nicaea in 325. Patriarch of Alexandria. Doctor of the Church.

Died

Beatified

Saint Porphyrius of Gaza

Also known as

Porphyry

Profile

Born to wealth. Hermit in the desert of Skete, Egypt. Hermit in Palestine on the bank of the Jordan River. Ordained as a priest in Jerusalem. Reluctant bishop of Gaza, he took to this assignment with great zeal and devotion. He converted almost all of his diocese, and nearly eliminated paganism in it.

Saint Agricola of Nevers

Profile

Bishop of Nevers, France from 570 to 594.

Died

• c.594 of natural causes
• interred in a church that was later re-named for him
• most relics destroyed in the anti-Christian persecutions of the French Revolution
• some relics transferred to Nolay, France

Saint Irene

Profile

Raised a pagan. At about 14 years of age, she witnessed a mob abusing Saint Porphyrius for his faith. The violence sickened her, and she came to his rescue, causing enough trouble that the pagans left him alone. He recovered and brought her to Christianity.

Born

c.470

Died

Saint Dionysius of Augsburg

Profile

May have been the uncle of Saint Afra of Augsburg. First bishop of Augsburg, Germany. Both baptized into the faith and later consecrated as bishop by Saint Narcissus of Gerona. Martyred in the persecutions of Diocletian.